Calgarians stuff-a-bus, or 20, for the food bank

A long-standing Calgary tradition, Stuff-a-Bus, took place Nov. 3, as Calgarians filled several city buses with donations to the local food bank.

The gang is all here!: Doug Morgan, left, Teddy the Transit Mascot and Jyoti Gondek, right, oversaw the Stuff-a-Bus event in Calgary on Nov. 3, 2018. Stuff-a-Bus has been a tradition in Calgary for 25 years. (Photo by Izunna Nwogbo/The Press)

The donations will go to individuals and families in need this holiday season.

Due to the recent decline in the economy, the Calgary Food Bank has experienced an upsurge in demand. Stuff-a-Bus remains one of Calgary’s largest single-day food drives to this day.

Lending a hand: Kendra Fowler of CityTV helps out with the cause during the Stuff-a-Bus event in Calgary on Nov. 3, 2018. Fowler shows off some of the canned good donated during the event. (Photo by Izunna Nwogbo/The Press)

Doug Morgan, director of Calgary Transit, and Jyoti Gondek, Deputy Mayor, also were on hand for the event, which is co-sponsored by the transit system and the Calgary Co-op.

Morgan explained that anyone could donate and it could be as much or as little as they so pleased.

More than 100 staff, each an unpaid volunteer, managed at 20 locations in Calgary and Airdrie Co-op locations, and awarded prizes to those who participated.

More than 20 transit buses were filled. According to Shawna Ogston, communications consultant for the Calgary Food Bank, it was the busiest year they had had in a while.